Stop-button for overhead cables.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN G. WAILS, OF DELTA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STOP-BUTTON FOR OVERHEAD CABLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1905.

Application filed August 26, 1905. Serial No. 275,938.

To a whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN G. WAILS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Delta, in the county of York and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Stop-Button for Overhead Cables, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to hoisting and conveying apparatus, and more particularly to a novel form of button or. stop adapted to engage the cable-supporting hangers and properly-position the same on the overhead cable, so as to prevent the latter from sagging as the carriage travels back and forth.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and efficient device of this character provided with a longitudinal seating-groove for the reception of the buttoncable and having a locking key or pin extending transversely of the button and adapted to engage the cable for preventing longitudinal movement of said button.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accom panying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the principle or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of the button-cable, showing the buttons in position thereon. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of one of said buttons. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of one of the buttons. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a detail perspective View of one of the slides detached.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The buttons or stops 5, which may be formed of metal or other suitable material, are designed for attachment to an overhead rope or cable 6 and are preferably cylindrical in shape, as shown, with their opposite ends inclined or beveled to form conical terminals 7 Extending longitudinallyv of each button is a seating-recess 8, adapted to receive the rope or cable 6, and communicating with the recess 8 is a longitudinal opening 9, the side walls of which are provided with coincident grooves or channels which receive thelaterally-extending tongues 10 of a pair of oppositely-disposed slides ll. The end walls of the slides 11 and the side walls of the opening 9 are provided with screw-threads 13 and 14, adapted to engage the threaded portion 15 of a locking key or member 16, the latter being provided with a reduced extension 17 which passes between the strands of the rope or cable 6 and engages an opening 18, formed in the lower wall of the seating-recess 8, as shown. The key 16 is formed with an inclined shoulder 19 and a squared socket 20, adapted to receive a wrench or similar tool, whereby the key may be adjusted so as to cause the inclined shoulder 19 to engage the strands of the rope or cable and force the latter into engagement with the countersunk portion 22 of the opening 18.

The walls of the longitudinal seating-recess 8 are formed with an annular depression or pocket 23, adapted to receive a quantity of Babbitt metal or similar material 24,which may be poured into said pocket through an opening 25, there being a suitable opening 26 also communicating with the pocket to permit the escape of air during the pouring operation. The threaded ends of the slides 11 are cut away, as indicated at 27, to form a continuation of the pocket 23, so that the metal may entirely surround the cable, and thereby prevent longitudinal displacement of the button. The base of each slideis also preferably curved to conform to the shape of the rope or cable, as shown at 28, said slides beinglocked in position by means of transverse pins or rods 29, which pass through openings 30,formed in said slides, and engage similar openings 31 in the side walls of the buttons.

In attaching the buttons to the rope or cable the latter is introduced into the seatingrecess through the opening 9, after which the slides are inserted in the guiding-grooves and locked in position by means of the transverse pins. The locking-key is then inserted with its lower end passing between the strands of the rope or cable and said key adjusted until the inclined shoulder 19 forces said strands laterally into engagement with the walls of the pocket, the metal being subsequently poured through the opening 25 into said pocket, thereby securely retaining the button on the cable and effectually preventing longitudinal movement of the same.

The buttons or stops may be made in different sizes and japanned, plated, or otherwise coated to protect them from the action of the elements, and, if desired, the threaded locking key may be inserted through the side walls of the button, in which case the oppositely-disposed slides will be formed integral.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is- 1. A button provided witha seating-recess for the reception of a cable and having a longitudinal opening formed therein communicating with said recess, a locking member adapted to engage the cable, and a slide seated in the opening on each side of the locking member.

2. A button provided with a longitudinal opening having a seating-recess communicating therewith for the reception of a cable, slides seated in said opening and having their adjacent ends threaded, and a locking member adapted to engage the cable and provided with a threaded portion for engagement with the threads on the slides.

3. A button provided with a seating-recess for the reception of a cable and having a longitudinal. opening communicating therewith the walls of which are provided with guiding-grooves, slides engaging said guidinggrooves, and a locking member interposed between the slides and adapted to engage the cable.

4. A button provided with a longitudinal opening having a seating-recess communicating therewith for the reception of a cable, slides seated in thelongitudinalopening,alocking member interposed between said slides and adapted to engage the cable, and means for locking the slides.

5. A button provided with a longitudinal opening having a seating-recess communicating therewith for the reception of a cable, slides seated in the longitudinal opening and having their adjacent ends threaded, a locking member adapted to engage the cable and provided with a threaded portion for engagement with the threads on the slides, transverse pins engaging said slides and a socket formed in the threaded end of the locking member for the reception of an operating-tool.

6. A button provided with a seating-recess for the reception of a cable and having a pocket formed in the walls of the recess ad apted to receive a metallic packing, there being a plurality of openings communicating with the pocket, and a locking-key carried by the button and adapted to engage the cable at said pocket.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. WAILS.

Witnesses:

J. OLIN LUNDY, P. W. RAMsAY. 

